Tigers star Api Koroisau has opened up on the intense scrutiny playmaker Luke Brooks faces while revealing the change that has helped trigger a return to form.
Brooks, 28, has regularly shouldered the brunt of the criticism of the merger club’s lack of success. His $1 million a year salary is often cited in any assessment of his performance.
Recently, however, Brooks and the Tigers have begun to turn this around, sparked by a monumental upset to down the Panthers in Bathurst.
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After starting the season 0-8, Tim Sheens’ side looked almost certain to win the club’s second ever wooden spoon.
But things are looking up in Leichhardt and NSW Blues representative Apisai Koroisau had nothing but praise for his halfback.
In 2023, Brooks is running the ball 7.4 times per game, the most of his 11 seasons in the NRL.
He also is recording his most ever running metres per game and is only five try assists away from beating his tally in 2022, whilst also doubling his three line breaks from last season.
“He’s just one of those guys, you just feel so bad for him,” Koroisau said to foxsports.com.au.
“He cops all this criticism and a lot of the time it is just not his fault. So to see him come out the way he was the last four weeks.
“Even just the way he has been at training, you can see the difference in him and he has really taken control.
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“But at the same time he is allowing other people to do things for him, which I think is just freeing him up and allowing him to play some great footy.
“His kicking game is outstanding and just his talk, his talk is so good so I’m so happy to see it going well for him.”
As it stands Brooks is without a contract for the 2024 season and it has been revealed the Tigers have begun negotiations to extend his current deal.
Brooks will likely have to take a pay cut from his current salary and Sheens was confident the gun halfback would remain at the club.
“As far as I’m concerned he’ll be here,” Sheens told reporters Friday.
“We’ll be definitely be making him an offer. It just comes down to how much that offer will be and what people are thinking and he’s thinking. That’s going to happen over the next week-and-a-half.
“That’s up to him [if he wants to stay long-term] and us in terms of selling it to him with the right money and other things as well, there’s a bit to do. That’s why we’ve waited until the bye. I’ve always had my eyes on keeping Brooksy.
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“The club has spoken to his agent. We will be making an offer and I hope that’ll be enough, not just the offer but Brooksy’s attitude as well. It wouldn’t be for a year [the length of the deal].”
The Tigers also made a number of off-season signings, including Koroisau, David Klemmer, John Bateman and Isaiah Papali’i.
Koroisau believes that these players have adopted leadership roles within the squad, allowing Brooks to focus purely on his own game.
“100 per cent, we have some really good (leaders), David Klemmer at the front is a really good leader in terms of our forward pack,” Koroisau said.
“I try to help the boys get around the field as much as I can. He (Brooks) tells me where he needs the ball and I just get there for him.
“Then he’s obviously got Wakeham who is playing some great footy and Jahream, who is obviously a young freak who is only in his fourth game.
“I think it is just about freeing up Brooksy so he can do what he needs to do and he is killing it.”